Do I have hypo?

[rrman]

more previous: TSH 2.11

previous: TSH: 3.88

Current TSH:5.22 (.35-4.9400) FT4 1.07 (.7-1.48)

I am having symptoms of hypothyroidism, my doc even said that it's probably going to get worse. She wasn't ready to treat me bc she said it wasn't that bad. Said I should go to an endocrinologist to get on meds. Will the endocrinologist even put me on meds with the current numbers? I really have wasted alot of time and I don't want to go to another doctor and waste time again if they are not going to put me on meds. EVEN THOUGH I FEEL BAD!!!! I don't know what to do bc I will probably never get on meds bc my parents are not willing to find an endo. My best best is getting a doctor at student health to prescribe me something, when they do it?

[Hidden]

Not that bad?? Your doctor needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Of course it is, if you feel bad!! I had a TSH of 4.95 and felt dreadful, could hardly keep awake with a lot of other symptoms. You need to be put on Levothyroxine immediately, you don't need to go to an Endo for that. Your result is over-range. I do know some doctors won't treat till your TSH is over 10 (which is totally ridiculous). Is she saying that an over range result is OK?? How can she justify that? Are you able to change your doctor, because that one is rubbish.

[rrman in reply to Hidden]

she didn't exactly say that ,she said something like go to an endo, but she refused to give me meds because she didn't know enough (kinda weird she doesn't know enough i mean she is a doc after all). Thing is my parents won't believe me and won't schedule an appointment (i'm a college student), so I guess I have to suffer

[Hidden in reply to rrman]

That's dreadful, and a disgrace. One relies on doctors to actually know what they are doing. Is there any way you can see a doctor at your college?

[rrman in reply to Hidden]

I am seeing the college doctors. Should I schedule with a different doctor? It is free anyway. Will a normal doctor treat at this low of tsh or will I have to go to an endo?

[Hidden in reply to rrman]

Yes, see another doctor, the one you saw is useless and won't help you. Yes, many doctors will treat an over range TSH - indeed, they should! Do you have any family history of hypo or hyper thyroidism? That can help your case if so.

[rrman in reply to Hidden]

My mom has it my grandma has it, but the thing is I think it only runs in the women of my family. My mom's TSH was 8 when she got diagnosed my grandma's TSH was 20.

[Hidden in reply to rrman]

It is far more common amongst women, unfortunately. So that means you have a strong genetic likelihood of also having it.

[rrman in reply to Hidden]

I am also really skinny, and have lost weight over my semester, not because of hypothyroidism but because I went from living in dorms to living in an apartment, and I haven't been able to make good food. I feel like that's another reason why my doc wouldn't prescribe me anything.

[Hidden in reply to rrman]

Ah the 'overweight hypo' assumption. Doesn't happen to everyone! Doesn't mean you don't need hormone, though.

[greygoose in reply to rrman]

rrman, I'm afraid it's not weird at all. Very few doctors know anything about thyroid - not even the majority of endos - because they just don't learn much about it in med school. Most endos are diabetes specialists. If you read enough on this forum, you will soon realise that.

[rrman in reply to greygoose]

so do i have hypo?

[greygoose in reply to rrman]

How many times has your TSH been tested? And, has it come back that high each time? Have you had your antibodies tested?

[rrman in reply to greygoose]

I tested it all the times I wrote above ^ in the post. antibody tests are still incoming

[greygoose in reply to rrman]

Oh, yes, I see, sorry. So, your TSH is rising. But, you didn't tell us when these tests were done - how far apart. And you didn't tell us if they were all done under the same circumstances - early morning and fasting. That's very important because the TSH is highest in the early morning, and drops throughout the day. It also drops after eating.

So, if we take those tests at face value, your TSH has only just arrived over 5. You would need a second test with the TSH over 5, in about three months time, to prove that you are hypo, because TSH can be due to other things.

[rrman in reply to greygoose]

are you a doc? Also, tests were done at the same time at around 9 am.

[greygoose in reply to rrman]

No, I'm not a doctor, just a hypo patient with a lot of experience.

[Hidden]

Also, you're going to need to educate yourself re your thyroid, as all of us here have done, as unfortunately you won't get much help from a large part of the medical profession. A good place to start is here, check off any symptoms you have:

thyroiduk.org/tuk/about_the...

And read the sections about the thyroid.

Plenty of people here will be happy to help you if you have any questions.